A Horse's Life : The Neuroscience of Equine Welfare – Dr. Stephen Peters, Mark Rashid, Crissi McDonald

Detailní popis produktu

A Horse's Life: The Neuroscience of Equine Welfare – Understanding the Horse Beyond Behaviour

Why does a horse become reactive, anxious, resistant, or withdrawn? And what if the answer lies not in disobedience or a lack of training, but in the way its nervous system responds to experience?

In A Horse's Life: The Neuroscience of Equine Welfare, three respected equine professionals bring together neuroscience, horsemanship, and real-life experiences to explore what shapes a horse's behaviour and well-being.

Dr. Stephen Peters, a neuroscientist known for his work on the equine brain, joins internationally recognised horseman Mark Rashid and clinician Crissi McDonald to offer a thoughtful, science-informed perspective on the lives of horses.

19 real horses. 19 stories. A deeper understanding of equine welfare.

Rather than presenting another collection of training exercises, the book is built around 19 documented case studies.

Each horse has its own history, challenges, environment, and experiences. Through these individual stories, the authors invite readers to look beyond outward behaviour and consider the underlying physical, neurological, and emotional influences.

Mark Rashid and Crissi McDonald bring the horses' experiences to life through engaging storytelling, while Dr. Peters adds clinical neuroscience perspectives that help explain how the nervous system may influence their responses.

What will you discover?

• The equine nervous system: How the brain processes experiences, responds to stress, and influences behaviour.

• Stress and emotional regulation: Why some horses become reactive, defensive, anxious, or withdrawn.

• Pain and physical discomfort: How health problems can influence behaviour and willingness to engage.

• Learning and memory: How horses develop habits, associations, and responses through experience.

• Social relationships: Why companionship and social stability matter for equine welfare.

• Movement and environment: How turnout, freedom of movement, and living conditions affect well-being.

• Nutrition and forage: The relationship between feeding practices, physiological needs, and behavioural stability.

• Training approaches: How pressure, conflict, and more cooperative interactions may influence learning and emotional responses.

• The Five Domains of Animal Welfare: A framework for evaluating welfare beyond basic physical health.

Understanding behaviour instead of simply correcting it

One of the book's central messages is that behaviour should not be viewed in isolation.

A horse that resists handling, reacts strongly to unfamiliar situations, or appears unwilling to cooperate may be responding to a combination of previous experiences, physical discomfort, environmental pressures, and nervous system activity.

By exploring these connections, the authors encourage readers to ask more meaningful questions about the horses in their care.

Where neuroscience meets compassionate horsemanship

The book combines accessible scientific explanations with personal stories, making complex ideas easier to understand without losing sight of the individual horse.

Its focus is not on teaching a particular training method, but on helping readers develop a more informed perspective on equine needs, learning, and welfare.

Who is this book for?

• Horse owners interested in equine welfare and behaviour

• Trainers seeking a deeper understanding of learning and stress

• Equine behaviourists and welfare professionals

• Veterinarians and equine healthcare practitioners

• Riders exploring low-conflict, horse-centred approaches

• Anyone interested in neuroscience and the human–horse relationship

Published in 2026, A Horse's Life offers 204 pages of real-world stories and neuroscience-based interpretation.

A compelling exploration of what horses experience, why they behave as they do, and how a better understanding of their nervous system can help us make more thoughtful decisions about their care and training.